Swiss Biotech Report 2006

ONE NATION ... >>21SWISS BIOTECH ASSOCIATION Thanks to a vigorousforward strategy, membership in this nationalindustry association continues to grow. More than130 companies are already benefiting from variousnational and international projects.Domenico AlexaxisOne of the most important strategic goals of the SwissBiotech Association (SBA) is to create added valuefor its members. For example, the association is currentlyworking on an Internet-based platform thatwill provide biotech companies with an easy and inexpensivemethod of procuring information. Preparationsare underway to expand the platform to includeinternational recruitment and resource-sharing application.The non-profit project is being supported bythe CTI (the national innovation promotion agency),the University of Applied Sciences in Wädenswil andthree SME companies, and the SBA.STRATEGIC CONCENTRATIONOF FORCESA project entitled “ProBio – Swiss Biotech Center”(SBC) aims to bundle the strengths of the national researchand development community and thus providefresh impulses for new biotech processes. Whatmakes this project outstanding is successful linkingof interests from the academic sector (EPFL, UNIL,CHUV, etc.) with those of the universities of appliedsciences and industry – primarily small and mediumsizedcompanies (SMEs). The initiative’s goal is tosupport its partners in their efforts to obtain suitablematerial for clinical trials by creating a suitable infrastructurefor the production of biomolecules in accordancewith GMPs (good manufacturing practices) –under realistic financial conditions and within realistictime frames. The initial development phase has alreadybeen completed. Depending on its economicsuccess, the project will be further expanded in thecoming years at the centre in Monthey (BioArk).EUROPE AND SWITZERLAND —RESEARCH NETWORKSThe SBA also offers support to its members acrossnational boundaries, since economic cooperation betweenSwitzerland and Europe opens up major opportunitiesfor companies and research organisationsalike.In order to understand the decision-making structurein Brussels and to make rapid progress in biotechresearch, more and more specialised knowledge isrequired. With research and innovation becomingmore global, the importance of international networkingand sharing of expertise will continue to increase.The Swiss biotech industry is well positioned in theglobal landscape, but constant effort and innovationare required in order to maintain this position. TheSBA therefore provides direct and non-bureaucraticaccess to up-to-date information and competent supportin the area of European research and innovationprogrammes.